2023 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

For many shoppers, the minivan style of the 2023 Toyota Sienna had often been a tough sell. The sliding doors and slab-sided designs evoked memories from childhood, recalling trips with Cheerios on the carpet and parents fumbling with road maps. The minivan's decline began in the 1990s when body-on-frame SUVs became popular. However, those bulky SUVs eventually gave way to car-based crossovers, which, due to aerodynamic needs, ended up looking like high-riding minivans without the sliding doors. Hence, the argument could be made that minivans are not as unfashionable as perceived. With their larger cargo capacity, easy access, and creative interior features, minivans like the Sienna were the smart choice for most families.

Toyota invested significant effort to dispel the minivan stigma from the Sienna. The front-end styling of the Sienna resembled a Japanese bullet train. Although most trims featured 18-inch wheels, the FWD versions of the XSE and Platinum trims sported 20-inch wheels. The Sienna offered a variety of trim levels including the base LE, XLE, sporty XSE, upper-class Limited, and top-shelf Platinum. The 2023 model year also introduced the 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim, positioned just below the Limited in terms of price.

Value-conscious shoppers were expected to favor the XLE trim, which added standard LED fog lights, power-sliding doors, and a power liftgate. These features became increasingly valuable with more children to manage. Inside, the Sienna’s Platinum trim impressed us with high-quality brown leather upholstery and lovely wood-grain accents on the center console. The Sienna could accommodate either seven or eight passengers, contingent upon selecting the LE or XLE trim for the larger capacity. The eight-seaters with a middle bench seat could support three-across car seats in the middle row, secured with LATCH anchors.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4, meanwhile, underwent subtle styling changes for the model year. The front bumper featured gloss black trim while the rear bumper had a more squared-off design to ostensibly improve aerodynamics. New wheel designs and colors were introduced, and the rear VW logo now lit up. Unlike traditional SUVs, the ID.4 did not project an SUV-like image, lacking the upright profile and added ground clearance. This could be an issue for VW as these features were central to SUVs' appeal among new car buyers. Much like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, which was marketed as an SUV but closely resembled its hatchback sibling, the ID.4’s design was distinctly EV without emphasizing SUV characteristics.

Based on VW’s MEB platform, the ID.4 supported a range of models, much like the MQB platform used for everything from the VW Jetta compact sedan to the seven-seat Atlas. The next MEB-based model slated for the U.S. was the Microbus-inspired ID.Buzz electric van, scheduled for a 2024 release. Inside, the ID.4 featured a minimalist, high-quality design reminiscent of recent VW gasoline cars. Even the base ID.4 Standard model, with its manual driver’s seat, didn’t feel significantly downgraded from the higher-level ID.4 Pro S, featuring leatherette upholstery with recycled fiber inserts as standard for 2023.

When Toyota unveiled the fourth-generation Sienna in 2020, they eliminated the traditional gasoline engine, equipping every model with a hybrid powertrain. The combination included a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two front-mounted electric motors, and a third rear-mounted electric motor for the AWD trims, yielding a total of 245 horsepower. Although this seemed less impressive compared to competitors, the Sienna's powertrain struggled a bit under its considerable size and weight. The CVT tended to claw up the rev band, resulting in a less-than-pleasant sound compared to more powerful rivals like the Honda Odyssey. Despite this, the Sienna’s chassis and steering stood out positively. It performed nimbly around town and cruised comfortably on highways, offering genuine fun despite its size.

In city conditions, the Sienna’s light steering feel was a standout feature, making it remarkably easy to maneuver with a tight turning radius atypical for a minivan. Toyota offered several drive modes, including EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport. Normal mode was generally recommended, as Eco mode overly extended the CVT’s simulated gears and dampened the throttle excessively. EV mode, theoretically allowing electric-only driving, seldom worked without engaging the gas engine. Sport mode provided minimal transformation to mask the fact that it was still a minivan.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 introduced a new 62-kWh battery pack for the base Standard and S models, available only with RWD. The Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus trims retained the 82-kWh pack, with options for either RWD or AWD. The single-motor RWD versions generated 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, while the dual-motor AWD setup produced 295 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, reportedly achieving zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

Volkswagen estimated that the smaller battery reduced the curb weight by 240 pounds, ostensibly improving acceleration and handling. The 62-kWh ID.4 Standard felt sprightly during a brief downtown Chattanooga test drive, though more extensive seat time was needed for a definitive comparison with the larger-battery versions. The AWD model, with acceleration likened to hot hatchbacks like the VW Golf GTI and Golf R, did not offer equally impressive handling, displaying too much body roll to be truly entertaining on twisty roads. Nonetheless, it provided a comfortable ride for long distances.

While the ID.4 employed regenerative braking, it favored a conventional experience over one-pedal driving, which might disappoint some EV enthusiasts but allowed a more familiar introduction to new EV drivers.

Minivans excelled at interior storage, and the 2023 Toyota Sienna was no exception. Offering various cubbies, nooks, and bins, the Sienna presented ample storage solutions. The space below the center console could fit a large bag or purse, and a long shelf extended from the middle of the dash to the passenger’s seat, perfect for phones and, in higher trims, equipped with a wireless charging pad. The Sienna also featured a sizable bin in the center console and numerous cupholders, ensuring everyone had space for drinks.

At over 200 inches long and on a 120.5-inch wheelbase, the Sienna was undeniably large. For those needing three rows in a smaller package, the Toyota Highlander might have been more appealing. However, the Sienna’s minivan platform maximized space effectively. It offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 75.2 cubic feet with the seat folded into the floor, and totaling 101 cubic feet. These figures surpassed the Highlander’s (16 cubic feet behind the third row, 84.3 cubic feet max), though fell short compared to other minivans as the Sienna’s middle row of seats couldn’t be fully removed or folded into the floor like competitors'.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 delivered on its SUV promise with more interior space than competitors like the Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, providing generous front-seat and rear-seat legroom. The ID.4 had 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up, and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, outperforming many entry-level EVs. However, compared to gasoline crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, it fell short on interior space but remained practical among affordable EVs.

The ID.4 also offered some towing capability, though modest compared to larger vehicles. It could tow up to 2,200 pounds for RWD models and 2,700 pounds for AWD models. In 2023, VW made improvements to the interior functionality with a conventional lid on the center console, a better phone spot, three-zone climate control, and heated outboard rear seats.

Toyota's 2023 Sienna carried older infotainment tech, lacking the updates seen in newer models like the Tundra and Sequoia. Despite featuring SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, optional navigation, and seven USB ports, it relied on an older interface with physical buttons. This older setup, while less visually impressive, was user-friendly and required less attention to operate than touchscreen-only interfaces. However, the system had quirks, such as requiring a wired connection for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a cumbersome process to access certain features.

The Volkswagen ID.4, however, standardized the previously optional 12.0-inch touchscreen for all models in 2023, replacing the 10.0-inch screen on lower trims. Software updates improved responsiveness, and features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the ID.Cockpit digital instrument cluster remained standard. Despite some improvements, the user experience still included haptic touchpads on the dashboard and steering wheel, which provided no tactile feedback and could be distracting. Fortunately, natural-language voice recognition usually rendered these controls unnecessary. The ID.4 also featured ID.Light, an ambient lighting system doubling as an AI assistant with navigational prompts, though it was easily overlooked during regular driving.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in safety features. It came standard with numerous ADAS systems, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. These features were particularly valuable for family driving. The Sienna earned a 5-star overall rating from NHTSA, though the 2023 model hadn’t been rated by IIHS yet. The similar 2022 Sienna did receive a Top Safety Pick+ designation.

The Volkswagen ID.4 also earned high safety ratings, with a five-star overall rating from NHTSA and respectable crash-test performance. While the 2023 ratings from IIHS weren’t available, the 2022 model received the Top Safety Pick+ rating. The ID.4 included standard safety features such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear park distance control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, automated lane centering, Emergency Assist, automated parking, lane-changing for Travel Assist, and a 360-degree camera system.